In DC, the State of the Union; in CA, High-Speed Rail, Medical Marijuana

Will the President's push for rapid rail get construction started in California? Also, after years of debate the LA City Council's produced a medical marijuana ordinance almost nobody likes. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, during last night's State of the Union Address, President Obama admitted mistakes while defending his first year in office. What does he want for the future? What is he likely to get?

FROM THIS EPISODE

President Obama's pushing for rapid rail, and California will get the biggest share of the money. Will it come close to building a line from Anaheim to San Francisco? Also, after four and a half years of debate, the Los Angeles City Council has failed to satisfy either side in the argument over medical marijuana. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, during last night's State of the Union Address, President Obama admitted mistakes while defending his first year in office. What does he want for the future? What is he likely to get? We sample opinions.

Banner image: Members of Congress, the Cabinet, and Supreme Court applaud as President Barack Obama enters the House Chamber to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. Official White House photo: Pete Souza

In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama announced an $8 billion high-speed rail initiative, and California will get the largest piece, $2.25 billion. In Tampa, Florida today, he reiterated his intention, which could prove important for the future of transportation in California. "There's no reason why other countries can build high-speed rail lines and we can't."

San Francisco charges fees to dispensaries of medical marijuana. Voters in Oakland have approved a tax on sales. In both cities, increased regulation has kept the number of dispensaries small. But in Los Angeles, while the City Council wrangled for four and a half years, there was no regulation and hundreds of dispensaries have cropped up all over town. Just this week, an ordinance finally received Council approval.